1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to electronic testing systems, and more specifically to techniques for characterizing electrostatic discharge events.
2. Background Art
Some electrostatic discharge (ESD) events are of such a low level as to be virtually imperceptible to human beings, even though these discharges may damage electronic devices. Such damage is problematic in the operational environment of electronic circuit board assembly lines. For example, an ESD event may occur on an integrated circuit board that is in the process of being assembled, or it may occur as a metal chair leg contacts a metal file cabinet. If ESD events are occurring on integrated circuit boards, manufacturing engineers may need to stop production to conduct an ESD investigation. But if all of the ESD events in an electronic circuit board assembly area are occurring from metal chair legs, no further action is required.
Existing ESD detectors are equipped to detect the existence, but not the location, of ESD events. One illustrative ESD detector, described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,473, discloses the use of an antenna connected to a circuit that generates an indication when an ESD event takes place. Although this device provides information about the actual occurrence of an ESD event, no information is provided about the location of the ESD event.